When Pigs Fly: God's Sovereign Choice

What a great question that has boggled the minds of millions, I am sure. Could pigs ever fly, in and of themselves? Well, how does a bird fly? A bird flies by using strong muscles to push its wings downward, which results in air being pushed down and lift being generated. With this in mind, surely the reason pigs are unable to fly has nothing to do with the lack of strong muscles. Pigs are massive animals. They weigh anywhere from 200-240 pounds, with the heaviest pig ever weighing-in somewhere around 800 lbs. For an animal to be that big, it must also have a significant amount of muscle. Then why can’t pigs fly? What’s stopping them? Well if you haven’t noticed, pigs don’t have wings! This means that even if a pig had enough muscle to pull two tons it’s own weight, it would NEVER be able to fly due to it’s lack of wings. Here’s an even greater question. Would pigs even want to fly if they could? I am not convinced that they would. Pigs lack in sweat glands. In order to stay cool, pigs roll around and dwell in mud. They also use the mud as a sunscreen to prevent sunburn. So even if pigs could fly, I am not so sure they would because they would be worried about their own personal well-being and desire for mud.

What significance does this information about pigs have with the topic of “God’s Sovereign Choice (sovereign meaning, to have complete control)?” Well, what does “God’s Sovereign Choice” mean? The doctrine of God’s Sovereign Choice means that it is completely and solely upon God’s choice that a man comes to salvation (John 15:16). In addition, there is no standard or good work in which a man can earn salvation or find favoritism in God’s sight (Isaiah 64:6); but it is by the gracious love of God that a man comes to faith in Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5). How can this be? Can’t a man choose to follow Christ upon his own ability and desires? In light of the previous note I wrote, “I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up: Humanity’s Radical Corruption,” there is no possible way that a spiritually dead man could choose life. Just as pigs are completely unable to fly due to their lack of wings, men are completely unable to choose Christ due to their spiritual deadness. Even if men were able to choose Christ, I am convinced that they wouldn’t because their deepest desires include sin and hostility towards God (Romans 8:7-8). Just as pigs would be drawn towards mud rather than flight because of their desire for mud, men would be drawn towards sin rather than Christ because of the corrupt desires of their heart. Even in our greatest strengths, it is as impossible for us to choose God just as it is for pigs to take flight.

Then what hope is there? How is salvation even possible for man? God has had a plan since before the creation of the world.

Ephesians 1:3-5
(3) Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. (4) For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love (5) he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.

Verse three starts off declaring that all praise belongs to God, who has given us every spiritual blessing. This shows God’s control over all spiritual blessings. Verse four then goes on to give evidence of God’s control over all spiritual blessings by declaring that God chose us before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight (to be saved). Psalm 139:15-16 goes on even further to state, “(15) My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, (16) your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” This was considered a blessing that God chose those who would be saved. Verse five proclaims that IN LOVE He predestined us. The question then rises, how is it loving if we do not have a choice? The thing is, we do have a choice. What have we done with that choice? Again, with man’s choice he has chosen nothing but sin (Romans 3:9-18). It is impossible for him to choose anything other than that, due to his radical corruption. Maybe the better question is, how could God be so loving that He would choose to save any of the people who deserve His eternal punishment? However, He does choose some that they may know of His great worth.

One very big question that arises is, why would God even tell us of this predestination? 1 Peter 1:1-2 shines some light on this topic.

1 Peter 1:1-2
(1) Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, (2) who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.

It is most likely that the scattered people, which would mean spiritual pilgrims who do not belong of this world, mentioned in this passage are under heavy persecution. This letter was written during the rule of an emperor named Nero. During the time of Nero’s rule and this letter being written, there was a fire that broke out in Rome. Immediately, in frustration and anger of their prized culture being ruined, the citizens of Rome accused Nero of the damages because of his extreme lust for building things. In response to this accusation, Nero blames the Christians. So, being that Christians were under persecution, this letter was written for the purpose of encouragement. The Christians of these different areas were longing for the home in which they belong, “New Jerusalem.” This is understood in verse 1 when he refers to them as “strangers in the world.” Peter wrote this letter, and God revealed to man His sovereign choice, for the purpose of assuring Christians of His love and His hand in their lives.

One overlying dangerous opposition that is made with the doctrine of “God’s Sovereign Choice” is that God chooses people for salvation ahead of time, knowing what they would already choose. This is known as double-handed salvation. In other words, God saves people by knowing who would first choose Him. However, this doctrine is inconsistent with the full revelation of scripture. If God is dependant on man (who is corrupt) to choose Him, that would mean that man is on an equal level with God in salvation. This makes for a very weak God, but an empowered corrupt man. More so, nobody would EVER come to salvation if it were dependant on man alone; because man is sinful at the core of who he is and unable to choose life. Can a painting say to the artist, “this is what I will be?” It’s impossible. The artist orchestrates and designs every aspect of the painting without the slightest consultation with the painting. It does not change the passion and care that the artist has for the painting; it simply means that the artist is who is in control. In His mercy and love, it is Christ who calls us unto salvation and not us who calls upon Him (John 15:16). But don’t WE actually make the choice? The answer is yes, and no. Logically, we make a choice to follow Christ. Biblically, it is actually God making that choice through us.

There must be some reason that God chose specific people, right? Romans 9:11-13 says:
(11) Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: (12) not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger." (13) Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

What this passage means is that man can do nothing to earn salvation. Even before the twins were born and could do right or wrong, God had decided who He would choose. What’s the reason behind this? It was that His “purpose in election might stand.” This means at least two things (probably a lot more, but two main ones stand out to me). God selects who He selects to prove that it is Him who has the choice, and that it is not based upon man’s merit. Secondly, He does this for His own purpose and for fulfillment of His perfect plan.

So how is this fair? How can God still hold us accountable of our sins if it is Him who chooses who to reveal Himself to?

Romans 9:14-21
(14) What then shall we say? Is God unjust? Not at all! (15) For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." (16) It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. (17) For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth." (18) Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. (19) One of you will say to me: "Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?" (20) But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' " (21) Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?

It is important to realize that Paul is not rebuking those who have honest questions about this difficult doctrine, but rather he is rebuking those who arrogantly excuse their own sin and unbelief. The verses that follow Romans 9:14-21 shed a little bit more light on the topic of why God allows some to perish.

Romans 9:22-23
(22) What if God, choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction? (23) What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory.

Verse twenty-two is claiming that God could justly destroy sinners the first time they sin. Rather, He patiently endures their rebellion instead of giving them what every sin immediately deserves- eternal punishment. In addition, it claims that a sinners rejection of God is his own. God does not make man sinful, but He leaves them in the sin they have chosen. Verse 23 goes on to say that the purpose and existence of wrath is to show the supreme value of grace and mercy. How could we more fully know the glory of God’s grace if all people were under wrath? Wrath would not be as feared because it would be a common norm. How could we more fully understand God's grace if all people were saved? Mercy would not be as understood, because it would be a common norm. Meaning that people would not even know of wrath, so what are they saved from? In order to understand the fullness of God’s mercy, you must have wrath; and to understand the fullness of God’s wrath, you must have mercy. The combination brings an understanding of fullness to God’s glory.

So what applications does this have for our lives? First off, we must realize that salvation is completely upon God’s choice, not ours (John 15:16; Romans 9:15-16). If it were dependant upon man, no one would be saved because all man are spiritually dead in their sin (Romans 3:9-18; Colossians 2:13). God being in control of salvation should be comforting to us for a couple of reasons. First off, we cannot change a sinner’s heart; nor are we called to do so. We may preach until we no longer have a voice, and study until our capacity of understanding has withered away; but it will be God who convicts and saves the sinner (1 Thessalonians 1:4-5). We are called to be faithful to the Word, and to leave the rest in God’s hand. Secondly, we should be encouraged that the God of the universe has graciously shown us His love by choosing us before the foundations of the world (Ephesians 1:3-5), to be vessels of His mercy (Romans 9:23). Some may question whether there is even a need to share the Gospel, since God has already chosen who will be saved. This is a very dangerous concept. There are three reasons for this. First, we do not know who God will save, so we cannot determine who is chosen and who is not. Secondly, God using believers to share the Gospel with unbelievers is the main tool in which God brings people to salvation. Thirdly, God choosing a select people does not cancel out the commandment for us to go make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19). In the grand scheme of things, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9).